People did not vote for anyone from Jaya's household to be CM: Stalin

February 5, 2017

Chennai, Feb 5: People of Tamil Nadu did not vote for anyone from Jayalalithaa's "household" to be chief minister, says DMK Working President M K Stalin, who appears to be keeping his options open on the possibility of another government in the tenure of the current Assembly.

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He also asserts that there are no "obstacles" to his leadership in the party and dismisses as "pointless" questions whether projecting him as the chief ministerial face would have won DMK power in the last year's Assembly polls.

The 63-year-old leader, who was made the Working President of DMK last month, is worried about divisions in the ruling AIADMK after the death of Jayalalithaa and keen that it should not affect the functioning of the administration.

"One thing is certain that the government - in its present form - is clearly one that doesn't have the explicit legitimacy of having been elected by the people.

"The people voted for a government to be headed by Ms Jayalalithaa in May, 2016 and not for one to be run by Mr. O Panneerselvam or any other person from Ms Jayalalithaa's household," Stalin told PTI in an interview, the first since he took over as Working President.

His comments came on a day the chorus grew in the AIADMK for its General Secretary V K Sasikala to take over as Chief Minister of the state.

So, the Leader of the Opposition in the state said, the present government, which clearly does not enjoy the support of the majority people, which has a divided cabinet and the AIADMK MLAs speaking in different voices, is bound to fail.

"As a responsible party, the DMK is watching the situation closely. Any decision that we take will be within the framework of democracy, reflecting the popular will and aspirations of the people," he said.

He was asked whether he foresaw the possibility of DMK forming a government within the tenure of the 15th Assembly given that the gap in numbers between the ruling and the opposition parties is not very huge.

Asked about reports of power struggle within AIADMK in the wake of Jayalalithaa's death, Stalin said DMK does not want to intervene or interfere in the internal affairs of AIADMK but there were reports on a daily basis that such a division existed.

"As the Leader of the Opposition in the state, however, my primary worry is that such internal problems within the ruling AIADMK should affect neither the functioning of the Legislative Assembly nor the administration of the state.As the main opposition party in the state, the DMK has the responsibility to ensure that," he said.

When queried about murmurs of criticism about family politics in DMK and when he foresaw himself taking full charge of the party, Stalin said his detention under MISA during the emergency in 1975-77 is still green in his memory.

He said he was happy that he had an opportunity to fight for democracy as a cadre of the DMK during his youth.

"Dr Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) is the President of the party and he has been guiding me in all the spheres of my activity. I know very well that a hard and sincere worker in the DMK will never face obstacles and even if there are a few obstacles, they will be converted into stepping stones," he said.

Stalin, son of Karunanidhi, had led a spirited campaign ahead of the Assembly elections last year that in which the party won 89 seats on its own and 98 together with allies in a House of 234 losing by a narrow margin in the race for power.

Asked if he agreed with the analysis that probably projecting him as the chief minister would have ensured DMK's victory, he said the number of seats won by DMK individually and together with allies were both unprecedented records.

"Even with the draw of Ms Jayalalithaa at the helm of AIADMK, the vote margin between the party in power and the DMK was just 1.1 per cent. Our future is so bright. This kind of post-hoc speculation about our previous campaign that your question raises is completely pointless. I strongly believe that digging into the past is distracting from the future," he said.

To a question on the perception that DMK has not been strident in attacking the Centre on issues concerning central projects in the state, Stalin said as a political party, DMK always preferred to maintain good relations with the party in power at the Centre but only as long as the interests of the State and the secular character of the nation are protected.

"But we are not the ruling party in Tamil Nadu. It is for the ruling AIADMK, which also happens to have 49 MPs, to make the central government act fairly towards the state."

He said he was disappointed at the AIADMK government's lack of enthusiasm to fight for the rights of the state with the government at the Centre.

As for the Sethusamudram project, Stalin charged that it has been delayed not only due to the efforts of the BJP but also due to the AIADMK government's attitude which is unmindful of the development of the state.

"DMK is strongly for the Sethusamudram project, which will boost the economy, spur development and create employment - in not only the southern districts but the whole state and wherever the situation demands we haver been raising our voice for the implementation of the project," he said.

When queried about the Dravidian parties aligning with the one or the other national parties in recent decades and whether the Marina Uprising had any message for DMK to go to its roots, Stalin said he believed in constructive centre- state relations.

"In a federal set-up, the state government has to depend upon the help of the Central government on so many important issues such as inter-state disputes, major infrastructure development projects, and allocation of central funds," he said.

At the same time, Stalin said, DMK is not for giving up the state's rights. It was their party which had first appointed the Rajamannar Commission over Centre-State relations and it was DMK which had adopted the motto "autonomy for states and federalism at the Centre".

The party remains committed to this principle always, he said, adding whenever the state's rights were harmed during the years the party was in the ruling coalition at the Centre, it had achieved a number of projects for the development of the state.

"Whenever state's rights were affected during those years, we never hesitated to express our views or raise our voice with all seriousness and strength. We never compromised our individual identity while supporting any government at the Centre as this identity is our heart and soul.

"The recent Marina uprising reflects the disappointment among the students and youth about the non-performing AIADMK government in the state and the Centre's complete apathy towards important issues concerning the state.

"As many have observed, the Jallikattu issue is the straw that broke the Camel's back, the issue that ignited the pent-up discontent on many issues," he said.

Stalin cited the "betrayal" of the Centre over the formation of Cauvery Management Board despite the Supreme Court's direction has been mentioned by many students who were interviewed during the protests.

"History shows that this kind of large-scale action has been crucial to the growth and evolution of the Dravidian Movement over the past century. Think of the massive student-led anti-Hindi agitation in the mid-1960s, which was the precursor to the first DMK government in 1967.

"As the current standard-bearer of the Dravidian Movement, the DMK is confident that the students' uprising will once again reinforce our objectives, rather than undermine them," he said.

The DMK, Stalin said, was the first party to take up the cause of Jallikattu very early.

"I myself led a mammoth protest at Alanganallur on January 3 itself. But it was a peaceful protest of students, youngsters and common citizens in places like the Marina Beach in Chennai and Tamukkam grounds in Madurai, which ultimately forced the AIADMK government's hand to table the legislation enabling Jalllikattu."

Equally, he said, the DMK has been relentlessly fighting for the cause of the people, including recently, the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry into the alleged discriminate attack and atrocities unleashed by the police on the students after the peaceful Jallikattu protests.

Stalin said the recent announcement by the chief minister about the formation of a Commission of Inquiry with almost all the terms demanded by the DMK was a victory for the party.

"The party has its principles and values and will continue to fight to ensure that the interest of the each and every section of society in the state is protected fully against the maladministration of the AIADMK," he said.

Asked about his taking over at the helm of his party at a time when there is vacuum in the the state with the fading away of Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi from politics, Stalin said he did not agree with the theory that there is a political vacuum in the state.

"It is a theory being planted by some people with a view to discrediting the DMK - the Dravidian party which has worked for the betterment of the state in the field of social justice, women's emancipation, industrial growth and economic development for over 50 years.

"Dr Kalaignar is still very much the unassailable President of the party nd he continues to inspire and guide the party...

"I am not new to the party. I have worked as Unit Organiser, Branch Secretary, Youth Wing Secretary, Dy General Secretary and Treasurer, along the seniors and veterans. I have now assumed the responsibility as the Working President of the party. I am humbled by the affection and faith and great amount of confidence that the party cadres have vested in me.

"I am in turn confident that I can discharge the responsibility given to me by the General Council of DMK under the able leadership of Dr Kalaignar- to the best satisfaction of the entire party," he said.

On the challenge facing him and his party, Stalin said the challenge before it now was to recover the lost glory of the state, which has been "squandered by the inefficient, incapable and corrupt AIADMK government.

"Our state has seen massive decline with regard to industrialisation, general economy, growth in job opportunities and overall development in the last six years' of AIADMK misrule.

"Reconstructing the state will be a Herculean task and a big challenge - but one that we are well prepared for. Even in opposition, the DMK will continue to highlight the misdeeds, poor governance and maladministration of AIADMK rule in the state."

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News Network
March 26,2024

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Hyderabad: The K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi faces big questions as shocking allegations of state police officers tapping the phones of then Opposition leaders in Telangana, including current Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, celebrities and businessmen come to the fore.

The surveillance, it is alleged, was also used to blackmail businessmen into contributing huge amounts to the BRS party fund.

The BRS is yet to respond to the allegations.

Three senior police officers have been arrested in this connection and a lookout notice issued against T Prabhakar Rao, former chief of the state intelligence bureau, who is reportedly in the US now.

Police have said two senior officers - Additional Superintendent of Police Bhujanga Rao and Additional Superintendent of Police Thirupathanna - have admitted to illegal surveillance and destruction of evidence.

According to reports, Ravi Paul, a technical consultant with the state intelligence bureau under the then BRS government, had allegedly helped import and set up phone-tapping equipment near the residence of Mr Reddy to listen in on his conversations.

The equipment, it is alleged, was imported from Israel using a software company as the front. No permission from the Centre - a must for such imports - was taken, it is learnt. With this setup, anything spoken within a range of 300 metres could be heard, reports say.

Ravi Paul, it is alleged, set up an office near Mr Reddy's residence and installed the device. Police are set to question him in this connection.

Lookout notices have also been issued for Sharvan Rao, who runs a Telugu TV channel I News, and Radha Kishan Rao, a police officer with the city task force.

The surveillance was not restricted to Opposition leaders. Top businessmen, including real estate dealers and jewellers, and celebrities were also under surveillance. In fact, the tapping of phone conversations led to the divorce of a celebrity couple, reports say.

To add to the BRS's troubles, Chief Minister Reddy has received a complaint from Sharan Chaudhary, a businessman and a BJP leader, alleging that senior police officers kidnapped him last year and forced him to sign off a plot of land to a relative of former minister and BRS leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao.

Mr Chaudhury has alleged that Radha Kishan Rao and senior police officer ACP Umamaheswara Rao kidnapped him on August 21 while he was on his way to office. He has alleged that he was illegally detained and forced to register his property in the name of Vijay, a close relative of the minister. He was also forced to pay ₹ 50 lakh before they let him go.

The businessman has said he had approached the High Court after the incident, but Uma Maheshwar Rao threatened to file false cases against him and forced him to withdraw the petition.

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News Network
March 29,2024

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New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said it has received fresh notices from the income-tax department, asking it to pay Rs 1,823.08 crore, and accused the ruling BJP of indulging in 'tax terrorism' to financially cripple the opposition party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Adressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here along with Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, party treasurer Ajay Maken alleged that the BJP is in serious violation of income-tax laws and said the I-T department should raise a demand of more than Rs 4,600 crore from the saffron party for such violations.

Ramesh alleged that through the 'electoral bonds scam', the BJP has collected Rs 8,200 crore and used the route of 'pre-paid, post-paid, post-raid bribes and shell companies'.

On the other hand, the BJP is engaged in 'tax terrorism', he alleged.

"Efforts are being made to financially cripple the Congress, but we are not going to be cowed down," Ramesh said.

He asserted that the Congress's campaign for the upcoming parliamentary polls will continue and the party will take its guarantees to the people of the country.

"We will not be scared of these notices. We will be more aggressive and fight these polls," the former Union minister said.

Maken alleged that the Congress and other like-minded opposition parties are being selectively targeted by the I-T department, which he described as the BJP's 'frontal organisation'.

The I-T department has launched a premeditated, diabolical campaign against the Congress by reopening matters of old returns on baseless grounds, he said.

Maken said the Congress will approach the Supreme Court soon over the I-T department's demands from it.

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News Network
March 29,2024

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The Income Tax department has issued a notice of approximately Rs 1,800 crore to the Congress party, exacerbating its financial concerns ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections, multiple reports revealed on Friday.

The development comes after the Delhi High Court rejected the party's plea challenging reassessment proceedings for four assessment years.

The new demand pertains to assessment years 2017-18 to 2020-21 and includes penalties and interest. The Congress party now awaits reassessment for three other assessment years, expected to conclude by Sunday, the stipulated deadline, said a report.

Congress lawyer and RS MP Vivek Tankha alleged that the fresh notice of nearly Rs 1,800 crore was served on the party on Thursday without key accompanying documents.

"We received the demand notice without assessment orders. The govt appeared keener to serve us with demand rather than issue us reasons for reassessment," a news paper quoted Tankha as saying. He further added, "this is how the main opposition party is being strangled financially, and that too during the Lok Sabha elections".

Delhi HC rejects plea

The Delhi High Court, on Thursday, dismissed petitions filed by the Congress challenging the initiation of tax reassessment proceedings spanning four years by tax authorities. Justices Yashwant Varma and Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, comprising the bench, stated that the pleas were rejected in line with their earlier decision to abstain from intervening in the reopening of reassessment for an additional year.

The subject matter of the case pertained to assessment years from 2017 to 2021.

In a previous petition dismissed the week before, the Congress party had contested the initiation of reassessment proceedings concerning assessment years 2014-15 to 2016-17.

The High Court dismissed the plea, citing that the tax authority had prima facie gathered "substantial and concrete" evidence warranting further scrutiny. The tax department alleged that approximately Rs 520 crore had evaded assessment during these three years.

Additionally, the department revealed that searches conducted on entities, including some purportedly linked to Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar and a company in Surat, had uncovered cash transactions involving Congress. These transactions were cited as violations, disqualifying the party from tax exemption available to political parties.

In the absence of exemption, parties are treated as "association of persons" and are obligated to pay taxes on their reported income. Moreover, the cash transactions are included in their total income.

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